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Ohio State makes top schools for pair of 2026 five-star prospects
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2026 five-star safety Blaine Bradford | Andrew Ivins, 247Sports
The Buckeyes are among the early leaders for two of the best players in the junior cycle.
Ohio State has begun its preparations for the 2024 football season — one that comes with the highest of expectations. In order to keep up with those lofty goals year over year, the Buckeyes’ coaching staff knows its efforts on the field must be matched by those on the recruiting trail. Ohio State owns the No. 1 class in 2025 right now, but there is lots of work to be done in order to maintain that spot.
While the current crop of players are back on the field getting ready for the upcoming campaign, top prospects in future cycles inch closer to choosing a destination for their collegiate careers. Over the weekend, a pair of five-star prospects in the 2026 class cut their hefty offer sheets down to five finalists, with the Buckeyes making the cut for both.
On Friday, five-star safety Blaine Bradford included Ohio State among his top five schools. The No. 1 safety and the No. 16 player in the class overall per the 247Sports Composite, Bradford cut his contenders down from the nearly 30 schools that offered to a small handful, which lists Alabama, LSU, Notre Dame and Oregon alongside the Buckeyes.
The Louisiana native Bradford earned his Ohio State offer in the middle of June after impressing at one of the Buckeyes’ recruiting camps. A multi-sport athlete in baseball and track, the 6-foot-1 safety ran an 11.73 100-meter as a sophomore, and also got relay reps in the 4x100 this past spring. Coming from an athletic family, Bradford’s younger brother, Jacob Bradford, is currently committed to Houston as a cornerback prospect in the 2025 class.
Here is some of what 247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks had to say of Blaine’s game:
While it is the in-state Tigers who seem to have the early lead for Bradford, the defensive back has made prior visits to all five of his finalists, and plans to get back to Alabama, LSU and Ohio State for game day visits, according to his father Stacey. With still a long ways to go in this recruitment, position coach Matt Guerrieri will get a chance to try and sway him away from the SEC.
Another elite 2026 prospect on the defensive side of the ball, five-star defensive lineman Zion Elee included the Buckeyes among his top schools as well when he dropped his short list on Saturday. The Maryland native cut his offer sheet down from 32 offers to a final five, with Ohio State in the mix alongside Alabama, Georgia, Oregon and Penn State.
Lee is the No. 3 EDGE and No. 19 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite, playing his high school ball at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore. The 6-foot-5 edge rusher transferred to the prep program from Joppa, where he recorded 64 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 13 sacks as a sophomore. Lee is the No. 2 player out of Maryland, a state that Ohio State has had some prior success recruiting defensive linemen (see: Chase Young).
In speaking with Rivals about each of his final schools, here is what Lee had to say about the Buckeyes:
Like Bradford, Elee has also previously been to all five of his finalists, having attended an Ohio State camp in June. He has yet to take any official visits to this point, but there is still a ton of time for those to happen between now and the early signing period for the 2026 class over 15 months from now. In the meantime, look for Johnson to continue to build his relationship with the star young lineman.
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Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
2026 five-star safety Blaine Bradford | Andrew Ivins, 247Sports
The Buckeyes are among the early leaders for two of the best players in the junior cycle.
Ohio State has begun its preparations for the 2024 football season — one that comes with the highest of expectations. In order to keep up with those lofty goals year over year, the Buckeyes’ coaching staff knows its efforts on the field must be matched by those on the recruiting trail. Ohio State owns the No. 1 class in 2025 right now, but there is lots of work to be done in order to maintain that spot.
While the current crop of players are back on the field getting ready for the upcoming campaign, top prospects in future cycles inch closer to choosing a destination for their collegiate careers. Over the weekend, a pair of five-star prospects in the 2026 class cut their hefty offer sheets down to five finalists, with the Buckeyes making the cut for both.
On Friday, five-star safety Blaine Bradford included Ohio State among his top five schools. The No. 1 safety and the No. 16 player in the class overall per the 247Sports Composite, Bradford cut his contenders down from the nearly 30 schools that offered to a small handful, which lists Alabama, LSU, Notre Dame and Oregon alongside the Buckeyes.
NEWS Elite 2026 safety Blaine Bradford is down to Alabama, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Oregon, he tells @Hayesfawcett3
Bradford ranks No. 10 NATL. (No. 1 S) in the 2026 On300.
Read: https://t.co/pu6T5LFl4G pic.twitter.com/RNKOzBeOIS
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) August 3, 2024
The Louisiana native Bradford earned his Ohio State offer in the middle of June after impressing at one of the Buckeyes’ recruiting camps. A multi-sport athlete in baseball and track, the 6-foot-1 safety ran an 11.73 100-meter as a sophomore, and also got relay reps in the 4x100 this past spring. Coming from an athletic family, Bradford’s younger brother, Jacob Bradford, is currently committed to Houston as a cornerback prospect in the 2025 class.
Here is some of what 247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks had to say of Blaine’s game:
While it is the in-state Tigers who seem to have the early lead for Bradford, the defensive back has made prior visits to all five of his finalists, and plans to get back to Alabama, LSU and Ohio State for game day visits, according to his father Stacey. With still a long ways to go in this recruitment, position coach Matt Guerrieri will get a chance to try and sway him away from the SEC.
Another elite 2026 prospect on the defensive side of the ball, five-star defensive lineman Zion Elee included the Buckeyes among his top schools as well when he dropped his short list on Saturday. The Maryland native cut his offer sheet down from 32 offers to a final five, with Ohio State in the mix alongside Alabama, Georgia, Oregon and Penn State.
NEWS: Five-Star EDGE Zion Elee is down toSchools, he tells me for @on3recruits
The 6’5 228 EDGE from Baltimore, MD is ranked is the No. 1 EDGE in 2026 (per On3)
Where Should He Go? https://t.co/Wn83TAuIA3 pic.twitter.com/Ir19NGa7BH
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) August 3, 2024
Lee is the No. 3 EDGE and No. 19 player nationally per the 247Sports Composite, playing his high school ball at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore. The 6-foot-5 edge rusher transferred to the prep program from Joppa, where he recorded 64 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 13 sacks as a sophomore. Lee is the No. 2 player out of Maryland, a state that Ohio State has had some prior success recruiting defensive linemen (see: Chase Young).
In speaking with Rivals about each of his final schools, here is what Lee had to say about the Buckeyes:
Like Bradford, Elee has also previously been to all five of his finalists, having attended an Ohio State camp in June. He has yet to take any official visits to this point, but there is still a ton of time for those to happen between now and the early signing period for the 2026 class over 15 months from now. In the meantime, look for Johnson to continue to build his relationship with the star young lineman.
Quick Hits
- As expected, 2025 five-star safety Trey McNutt made his commitment to Oregon over the weekend, as the Ohio native spurned the Buckeyes in favor of the Ducks. Ohio State is in good shape at the safety position with commitments from Faheem Delane, Deshawn Stewart and Cody Haddad, and will likely up the pursuit of four-star Virginia native Messiah Delhomme now that McNutt is officially off the board.
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